Seidel Gallery customers say owner has "good eye" for making things work together

By Christina K. Cosdon, Times Correspondent
In Print: Sunday, April 26, 2009

Richard Seidel paints “in the evenings in the gallery and outside,” he said. The lifelong artist also researches the history of artworks.
	[JIM DAMASKE | Times]

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Richard Seidel makes house calls.

Clients seek his advice on how to give a new look to one room or a whole house mainly by rearranging and refreshing existing furniture and accessories.

"He has a good eye for taking a room that's dysfunctional and using what's there to make it functional," said Bill Murphy, owner of Encore Events appraisal firm.

Seidel, who owns and operates Seidel Gallery, also advises clients on framing for art work and even researches the history of art works.

"He's very good at reframing," Murphy said. "I've used him for reframing work in my personal art collection. He has the ability to take art and select framing that is comparable to the art."

In addition, Murphy said he has used Seidel's services while working on estate liquidations "as backup for knowledge and information."

Seidel, a lifelong artist, sold art and prints and did framing for 30 years at his business in Columbus, Ohio, before moving to Belleair Beach in 2007.

"I never had much time to paint in Columbus I was so busy with framing," said Seidel, 59. "Now I have time to paint. I paint in the evenings in the gallery and outside."

Since moving here, his impressionistic art works have taken on the vibrant colors and scenery of Florida.

Decorator Gabriela Celi had Seidel create three paintings for the dining room she decorated for the Florida Orchestra Guild's Designer Showhouse last month on Snell Isle.

His paintings, Celi said, "brought life to the room."

"The colors in his paintings are wonderful," said Mi Richter, who owns the store Cups at John's Pass. She recently bought one of his paintings and has asked him to paint one for her business.

Maurice "Moose" Dunne, retired president emeritus of Lake Forest Graduate School of Management in Lake Forest, Ill., hired Seidel to help decorate his condo on Island Estates.

"The way I describe Richard is that he's quick, he's talented, he's flexible," Dunne said. "He's helped choose fabrics, designate use of space, hung pictures and placed furniture.

"He has a marvelous eye."

Chris Cosdon can be reached at ccosdon@gmail.com.

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Seidel Gallery customers say owner has "good eye" for making things work together

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